HHS grads play spirited alumni games

Both the women’s and men’s Hannibal High School alumni basketball games on Dec. 29 had exciting fourth quarters, with the women’s ending 24-21 and the men’s being even closer at 78-77.

Bev Darrbev.darr@courierpost.com

Both the women’s and men’s Hannibal High School alumni basketball games on Dec. 29 had exciting fourth quarters, with the women’s ending 24-21 and the men’s being even closer at 78-77. The teams were listed by odd or even years of graduation. The even-year grads won the men’s game.The women graduating in odd years won, after leading 15-8 at half time and being tied at 17 in the third quarter. The majority of the women graduated in the 1990s. Players and their years of graduation were Jenny Hibert, 1984; Monica Williams, 1986; Cherrie Allen, 1994; Audrey Clark; 1994; Deanine Brinkley Haynes, 1995; Angie Garner Lynch, 1996; Amanda Muehring Echternacht, 1997; Amber King Riefesel, 1997; Natalie Brinkley Oswald, 1999; Shelby Ortwerth Moneer, 1999; Lydie Mays, 2011; and Ashley Stevenson, 2012.After the game, Moneer explained she is a health educator for a non-profit foundation in Washington, D.C. She enjoyed beach volleyball while attending college in Florida.During half time, Clark won a 3-point shootout. Later she said she is an assistant director on the “New Girl” television series in Los Angeles. Her current sports are running and bicycling.Allen, who had scored 10 of her team’s points, left Hannibal to follow her husband’s military career. She returned four years ago and teaches fifth grade at Holy Family School. She runs for exercise.Oswald now plays sand volleyball when not busy as an attorney in Quincy, Ill. She first played basketball at age 5, when her older sister, Deanine, taught her. Their parents are Ralph and Marcia Brinkley, and their dad coached their youth basketball teams.Williams, of Hannibal, now would rather kickbox than play basketball, but she enjoys the alumni games. She added that “the Booster Club helps kids. It was behind us (when she was at HHS). Somebody did it for me.” As a HHS student, she won both athletic medals and band honors.Between games, two teens won prizes in shootouts, after their tickets were drawn for the contests. Dylan Powell won dinner for two at Fiddlestiks by winning the free throw shootout. Jack Richards won six dinners for two at Fiddlestiks in the 3-pointer shootout.

Grads from ‘71 to ‘12on men’s team

Alumni players and their years of graduation in the men’s game were Glenn O’Briant, 1971; Steve Wagner, 1985 (who played on the even-years team); Stacey Strickland, 1993; Enos Johnson, 1995; Jarred Johnson, 2001; Wayne McPike, 2003; Ian Griffen, 2007; Randall Mosley, 2008; Zachary Lewis, 2008; Logan Hicks, 2012; and Jordan Ingram, 2012.The odd-year team quickly led by 10-0 in the first quarter and remained ahead at half time with only a 1-point lead, 63-62.The even-years team went ahead for the first time at 4:42 in the third quarter, at 54-53.This was followed by an exciting fourth quarter, with the score tied at 75 near the end. Next, McPike made two free throws for the odd-years team.Then Hicks made a 3-pointer for the even-years team, giving his team a 78-77 lead, which was the final score.After the game Hicks said he felt relief after making the 3-pointer, adding “it was a battle the whole game.” Hicks recently transferred to Truman University, where he plays football.Lewis, a senior at Hannibal-LaGrange University, now competes in track and field.Calling the alumni game “lots of fun,” Ingram said he still plays basketball, as he attends Moberly Area Community College.O’Briant, a 1971 grad and the oldest player, still plays basketball, reporting he “used to play two or three times a week, but now it is a couple times a month.” He lives in Quincy, Ill., where he will soon retire as a railroad switchman. During half time, the HHS Glitter Girls danced and McPike, (who is also HHS freshmen basketball coach) displaying his skill with special shots.Next, a 30-second, 3-pointer contest among the players was won by Johnson, by breaking a 15-basket tie with McPike.A 50-50 ticket drawing by the HHS Booster Club, sponsor of the games, was won by Sherry Ingram.Later Booster Club member Tammy Heimer, who co-chaired the games with Deanine Haynes, said she “appreciated the people that came to watch and that came to play.”Announcer John Ryan announced the 2013 alumni games will be on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2013.